@GTWBB Uses 3-Point Shooting to Defeat USC Upstate

ATLANTA – The Georgia Tech women’s basketball team made an impressive 13 3-pointers and outrebounded USC Upstate 44-23 on its way to an 87-46 victory on Saturday afternoon.

“I was really proud of the way our team shared the ball,” head coach MaChelle Joseph said. “To get 25 assists on 32 field goals is a great attribute to this team and how they share the basketball. They don’t care who gets the credit. We had several players step up today and make plays and make shots.”

The Jackets opened up the game firing away, running out to a 7-0 lead in the first 1:36. The Spartans would make it a two point game, 16-14, but Tech outscored USC Upstate 12-4 in the final 3:19 of the first period to take a 28-18 lead into the first break.

Georgia Tech’s defense held the Spartans to zero field goals for the opening 3:36 of the second period while utilizing an 11-0 run to take 39-18 lead. The Yellow Jackets held the Spartans to just eight points in the second period and took a 48-26 advantage into halftime.

The Yellow Jackets continued to dominate on the scoreboard against the Spartans, outscoring the opposition, 24-11 in the third period. Georgia Tech never trailed the entire game, recording its second wire-to-wire victory of the season, winning 87-46.

Raining 3’sGeorgia Tech sank 13 shots from behind the arc, going 13-for-28 from behind the 3-point line, which tied Georgia Tech’s record of most 3-pointers made in a game. Georgia Tech set the school record against West Carolina on November 10, 2013 when the Jackets made 13 3-pointers.

Five Yellow Jackets made at least one 3-pointer while graduate student Irene Gari made a career-best four shots. She went 4-for-8 from behind the three point line and scored 16 points against the Spartans and led the team with a career-high five steals. Sophomore Antonia Peresson also went 4-for-8 from behind the three point line one her way to 12 points. She also added three assists.

Double-Double for Aaliyah Senior Aaliyah Whiteside recorded her second-straight double-double, scoring 15 points and grabbing 11 rebounds against the Spartans. Whiteside has two double-doubles this season and seven in her career. This was the first game this season that Whiteside didn’t score 20 points in. She has scored in double-figures in 16-straight games dating back to last season

Tech Tidbits

Georgia Tech leads the all-time series against USC Upstate, 2-0.

Georgia Tech is now a perfect 5-0 at home in nonconference contests and is 19-1 in nonconference home games in the past three seasons.

With nine rebounds in tonight’s game, senior Roddreka Rogers has taken soul control of ninth place on Georgia Tech’s career rebounding list. Rogers, who now has 773 career rebounds is 28 rebounds away from tying Regina Tate (1988-2002) and LeeAnn Woodhull (1980-83) for seventh with 801.

Senior Aaliyah Whiteside ranks 21st on Georgia Tech’s all-time scoring list with 1,124 career points after scoring 15 points against the Spartans. Earlier this season, Whiteside became the 29th Yellow Jacket to score 1,000 career points.

With her four made free throws in tonight’s game, Whiteside moved up a spot on the all-time career made free throws chart. Whiteside has 345 made free throws which ties her for fifth with Stephanie Higgs. Whiteside needs 14 more made free throws to tie Kisha Ford’s 359.

Next Up The Yellow Jackets continue its four game homestand, hosting Samford on Sunday, Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. following its week off for finals week.